


And again, the fireflies will return

by Richard_Conway



Category: Our Life: Beginnings & Always (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Friendship, Humor, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:48:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27801025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Richard_Conway/pseuds/Richard_Conway
Summary: Come hell, high water or sunstroke, Cove Holden and Jamie last will try to make the most of their summers. They will succeed, in the most unpredictable and reassuring ways.Because life's much more fun whens hared with a friend.Semi-related one-shots in different stages of their life.Neighbors, friends, and more.
Relationships: Cove Holden/Main Character | Jaime Last (Our Life), Cove Holden/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jamie has a genius idea. Cove has to make sure he doesn't die because of it.
> 
> One boring summer afternoon, the duo try to liven it up.

“Prune.”

A disgruntled snort.

A few moments pass. Some shuffling.

“Yams.”

“Hmph.”

The shuffling was agitated now, the sounds of someone who was trying to come off as calm while their ears were exporting steam.

_Crunch. Crunch._

The anticipation was thick. Jamie moved his mouth around, savoring every moment. He didn’t need to see to know that Cove’s leg was twitching, or that he was leaning closer than he had before.

A few beats of silence. Some swallowing…

“Cheez-Its.”

“God dammit! _”_ Cove exploded with frustration. He stomped around and hit something, which shook like a maraca. “ _Un_ believable! Five correct guesses in a row.”

Jamie took off the blindfold and reveled in modest smugness. “Where's the challenge?”

It was a summer afternoon like any other. Cove had ended up at Jamie’s house again, which meant that they had to find entertainment, lest the boredom killed them before the heat could. Like these things usually started, Cove had off-handedly mentioned something completely arbitrary and Jamie had chosen the most baffling time to zero in on it.

That’s how they had arrived at food testing. But not just any!

Cove couldn’t tell the difference between some foods, something that Jamie had found he could exploit for some amusement. And after telling the difference between prunes and dates, yams and sweet potatoes, different berries, and even what type of cheese crackers he was eating Cove wasn’t sure which one of them was the odd one anymore.

“They’re both cheese!” Cove waved his hands incredulously.

“It’s the nuance, Cove,” Jamie shrugged. “The perks of having your parents be from completely different cultures.”

“Apparently,” Cove huffed, pouting over his defeat. He had thought that maybe today would be the day he could one-up Jamie, but no such luck. Despite being irritated he pushed it down. It wouldn't be worth it to get upset over it, especially when this was how it usually went.

With the excitement settling down Cove looked around Jamie’s room with the passing gaze one would give a graffitied brick house. It was a very familiar place now, but often there was still something new to see; Jamie had many interests.

Photos of varying scenes and landscapes on the walls were off-set by hand-made drawings of people. Cove recognized Jamie’s moms. Naturally, Elizabeth and Lee were also there. He didn’t expect to also see his dad being drawn, begrudgingly thinking that Jamie had gotten his good side. There was also a picture of Derek, and at the very edge there was one of Siloh. Cove was surprised, but thought it made sense. Jamie had tried hard to be friends with the freckled boy.

Books both for school and not, all in their place but still a rearrangement overdue, sat in the bookcase. Next to it was a clothes basket that was almost overflowing with dirty clothes. On the other side of the room, the bed reflected the _slightest_ attempt at being made.

All things that were standard by themselves, but in Jamie’s room they felt so different and unique, completely disconnected from one another.

Cove eyed the lonely volleyball that sat in a corner, next to a surfboard that could use some dusting. Next to them, on the wall, hung a couple of medals. All of them for second or third place.

“As consistent as your grades,” Cove remarked wryly, finding something to tease Jamie about.

The perpetrator followed his gaze, shrugging. “I am content. Someone has to be second best, right?”

“Eeeeh, I spy a lot of bronze in-between silver!”

Jamie groaned, knowing already which medal he was talking about. “I keep reminding you there were only _four_ of us. And the other two were monsters! Even you would have a hard time!”

“I have a _gold_ medal in the 100-meter dash, thank you very much,” Cove laughed. He sighed, conceding. “But to be fair to you, I always sucked at golf. And basketball. And tennis.”

Jamie sheepishly looked at his medals, smirking.

Cove shook his head. He had more medals, and they were mostly gold, but they had all something to do with surfing or swimming or football. Jamie was more of a multi-talent, which sometimes peeved the seafoam-hair boy.

He wondered when this had become routine. Coming over to Jamie’s had become second-nature. They weren’t together every day but they did hang out more often than not. Despite the bumpy start when Cove first moved here, Jamie and he had become close. More so than neighbors, anyway. Cove fond Jamie’s companionship very welcome – the feeling seemed mutual.

So it was that they’d often spend time together. It didn’t happen all day every day, but they were a constant presence in the other’s life.

Suddenly, a loud bang drew Cove’s attention. Or was it more like a thud? It was so quick and sudden that Cove barely had the time to register it.

“Bump your head?” Jamie asked.

“Thought _you_ stubbed your toe,” Cove retorted, shaking his head. “No, it sounded like… it came from somewhere else.”

Jamie hummed. “Well, my sister is out. And my moms are gone too…” A light bulb flicked on inside of him and he slammed a fist into his palm. “Spirits!”

Cove gave his friend a weary look. “Spirits?”

“You’ve seen the movies right? Suburban house, two teenagers, a boring afternoon… and then a sudden twist!” Jamie spoke into his fist with a deep, mysterious voice. Cove had learnt this, just like Jamie’s sense of humor, was hereditary. In a non-biological way.

“We gonna find a Ouija board in your attic?” Cove played along. He sighed dramatically, “Someone clearly angered the spirits! What did you do this time?”

“It must’ve been you when you compared Cheez-Its to Cheez Nips.”

“ _Will you drop it already!”_

There was the sound again, this time more distinct. A couple of thuds later and both teens had figured out it was coming from outside.

Both boys looked at each other, this time with worry. Now they knew for sure that something was up.

“I don’t… actually have an attic,” Jamie tried to reassure.

Cove scratched his chin. “Then it must be on top. We should go check.” Jamie nodded. The green haired boy opened the windows and they peeked out. “I can’t see anything,”

Jamie hummed. “Climb outside.”

Cove’s lips turned into a thin line. “You’re volunteering me?”

“So suddenly you're forgetting to gloat about all those times you beat me in arm wrestling?" Jamie asked, shaking his head. "One of us has to go."

Cove couldn't exactly argue, he was the stronger of the two, but he wasn’t exactly jumping at the idea. If at all possible, he wanted to avoid jumping at all right now. However, he almost did when Jamie took a step outside and tried to climb up himself.

The roof had a slight incline with a narrow, flat top. It looked like a simple ascent, especially with the window acting as a middle-point. Jamie started to climb up.

“Are you crazy?!” Cove yelled, trying not to panic. “You could fall down and break something!”

Jamie looked down. True, that was always a worry. Jamie remembered how bummed out Cove had been over his cast, so it’d make sense he’d worry.

The thoughts were interrupted by another series of thumps. Jamie’s head shot towards the sound. “I have to know what it is.”

Cove groaned, climbing out as well. He had to make sure his idiot neighbor didn’t fall. No matter how lucky Jamie might be, his luck ought to run out at some point!

He worriedly hovered behind Jamie. Both of them were curious, but this was just asking for trouble. Cove hoped his dad couldn’t see them.

“Can you see what it is?”

“I see something flapping,” Jamie answered. “A bird.”

“What’s a bird doing on your roof?”

“I don’t know, I’m not a bird.”

Jamie grabbed onto the small roof of his window and pulled himself up. Seeing him struggle a bit, Cove tried to push him from behind.

Jamie now sat on top, slowly edging towards the middle. Slowly, carefully, he pushed against the bigger roof and stood up in a crouching position.

Cove was sweating hard, which was only made worse by the weather. It did _not_ look safe, Jamie _was_ gonna get hurt, Cove would be _grounded_ for weeks! He wanted this quickly over with, half-wishing he had been the one to climb up first. He cursed his own indecisiveness.

“Relax.”

Cove looked up, his thoughts interrupted by the calm voice from above. Cove hadn’t noticed he was holding his breath and tried to slow down his heartrate. Jamie looked down at him, now crawling along the flat part of the roof.

“It could be a lot worse. Imagine if it were raining!”

Cove bit his lip at the thought that if it were raining they wouldn’t be trying to climb up in the first place. He tried to reassure himself; Jamie knew what he was doing. He might not have been as athletic as Cove, but he made up for it with pure bullishness.

Like a dog on a carpet, Jamie dragged himself to where the flapping was coming from. The bird had moved and Cove had caught sight of a large seagull, wings going wild in agitation. It seemed to be stuck on a spike on the roof.

Jamie reached the bird. He cocked his head, inspecting the situation. After a while his arms rose, carefully circling around the animal.

“What’s wrong?” Coven asked, way too tense. He was trying to keep his legs from throwing him off the ledge.

“Some sort of… plastic around its neck, it’s stuck on the spike. I’mma try and get it off.”

Now Cove was really scared. This was not going to end well, birds didn’t like strange humans. “Should I bring scissors?” Cove asked. Plastic was pretty hard to just rip apart, and if the bird kept panicking then it would be impossible to simply remove the thing.

“Good idea,” Jamie nodded, trying to calm down the bird. “Easy, my avian buddy! Come to papa…”

Cove darted back in through the window, frantically searching through Jamie’s desk. Despite him acting calm Cove could see the roof was way too tiny for the other boy. If the bird got too aggressive, Jamie would fall. Even if he fell into the bushes it wouldn’t help, he’d just end up with a branch through his leg!

Everything was a mess now, but Cove had found the scissors. He leaned back out, careful not to stab himself.

“Found ‘em!”

“Be careful with your throw, I don’t remember you playing baseball.”

“Shut up, will you?! I’m coming up there!” Cove angrily climbed on top of the window, much faster and smoother than Jamie had. Despite the sharp green tone of his hair Cove knew he’d be gray before 40.

Cove was thankful for his height and easy weight, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to pass the scissors on.

Jamie grabbed them from behind and snapped the air like a surgeon. Carefully, he petted the bird, mumbling to it in a calming tone.

It was minimal, but the bird eventually got used to his touch. Seeing this Jamie slowly brought the scissors closer to the bird’s neck, careful not to scare it. Cove was holding a fist to his mouth, teeth sinking into his finger.

A single wrong move and it’d be over.

Jamie slung an arm around the bird, squeezing the wings close to its body. He firmly grabbed the animal’s neck, but not enough to choke it. He slid the scissors in and with a decisive move the plastic off.

“Gotcha!” Jamie said.

Cove sighed in relief, releasing his finger from his teeth.

The bird was free and it wasn’t shy to show it. With a crazed take-off, the seagull spread its wings wide and fluttered them wildly.

“Woah, crap-!” Jamie yelped, trying to back away from the bird.

“Careful!” Cove tried to get as close as possible.

Jamie dropped the scissors, holding out his hands to protect his eyes. But while trying to get away he backed up too far.

The roof had been too narrow for Jamie.

Cove’s stomach dropped.

Jamie’s mouth fell open and he could only blink in surprise.

With nothing to support him Jamie’s leg slipped and he fell backwards.

Cove screamed, hands flying out.

One hand holding the roof Cove grabbed Jamie’s arm, pulling it viciously.

Jamie stumbled down, hitting the window-roof hard, legs dangling off the side.

They were both incredibly still. Cove was heaving, putting all his strength into pulling Jamie up while also not falling down.

Jamie turned in his grasp and grabbed hold of the roof.

Cove repositioned his arms, hands underneath Jamie’s arms. The boy looked up, mouth still half open. Seeing Cove’s frightened expression, he nodded.

“Good catch, space cadet.”

Cove’s face scrunched up. “You reckless, impulsive, naïve idiot! Do you know how _close_ you were to falling off?! If I hadn’t been here, what would you have done, huh?”

“Well, if you hadn’t been here, I wouldn’t have had the scissors to begin with,” Jamie explained matter-of-factly. “So I wouldn’t have been able to free the bird anyway.” His features softened, now fully smiling. “But I’m glad you were here. And we got to save the seagull, so it’s a win all around.”

Cove fought to find an answer but couldn’t come up with anything. Jamie was too weird, he had the strangest ideas and the worst executions. But somehow, no matter what, Jamie seemed to come out on top every time.

Cove wondered what sort of a lucky star Jamie had been born under, but quickly pushed the thought aside. “You better climb in that window before I throw you in.”

This time Jamie sensed the threat behind the words, shrinking. “O-Of course, aha-ha…”

After an incredibly slow climb down – guided by Cove’s angry instructions – they were both back in Jamie’s room. Cove closed the window for good measure – no more close calls today!

“I feel like a few years have been chopped off my life,” he voiced.

“I’ll make it up to you,” the host offered. “How does ice cream sound? Though they are in separate boxes I’ll let you mix the banana and lime this once.”

Cove groaned at the nonchalance, but nodded, following his friend down. Too much was going through his head, he felt very tired suddenly. This was too much for his young heart.

In the background the sun was slowly starting to set behind the waves.

Accepted the offer for dessert without argument he finally noticed that Jamie’s leg was bleeding. Quite seriously, actually.

Pointing it out to the other boy Jamie looked surprised. Cove wondered how he hadn’t noticed the cut across his calf but figured the adrenaline from nearly falling had distracted him.

When Jamie’s moms came back he explained he had fallen while they were playing outside. Pam and Lani had quite a few questions, but Jamie weaved through that minefield like an expert, putting on the most innocent face Cove had ever seen.

Cove had blanked out at some point, which is why he had no idea how they had ended up on the hill overlooking the town or how Jamie had gotten permission to go out. Somehow, it didn’t surprise Cove.

On top of the hill Cove subconsciously placed himself between Jamie and the drop. The other boy seemed to notice this, smiling lightly.

“Thank you, Cove. For saving me. Really. Sorry to have put you in that situation.”

Cove nodded, trying hard to find the words to Jamie’s genuine confession. “Yeah… don’t _ever_ do that again, though!”

“Awww, were you worried?”

“Yes!” Cove shouted, startling Jamie. The other blinked, a thin smile appearing again, ears turning red and looking away bashfully. Cove scoffed, trying to hide behind his ice cream. “That was incredibly dangerous, for both me and you! I won’t ever let you live this down.”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I should’ve been more careful,” Jamie said, without any humor. He put a hand to his heart. “I promise not to make it a habit of saving animals in the future.”

Cove shook his head, too young to understand the irony of those words.

They quietly ate their ice creams, relaxing in the breeze. The green haired boy was still a bit agitated, but he supposed everything had gone alright.

It was the beginning of summer. The plan had been to waste the rest of it in boredom, trying to find something to keep them busy and make a few memories along the way. That wish would be granted in the oddest of ways, which was very apt for the Holden-Last duo.

Cove liked the view at the top of the hill, the present calm, the soft howl of the wind and the soft flowers that were like a cozy sheet on top of a warm bed. He lay down next to Jamie, staring at the alpacas and the sheep in the sky.

It had become routine, and Cove wasn’t quite sure how. But he didn’t regret it.

The impossible thought of getting settled into the strange beachside town had turned into a reality in the blink of a few summers. Cove could scarcely think of life outside California, though some regrets were still present. It worried him, but for now he could relax.

He turned over to Jamie, seeing their laid-back smile and posture. Cove supposed that saving Jamie’s life was the least he could do. He’d really have to thank the boy someday, properly.

“The evenings are the best,” Jamie said suddenly.

Cove nodded, turning away. Some other day, he promised himself.

“Thankfully, the nights aren’t too cold either,” the greenette responded. “Wonder when the fireflies will return, haven’t seen them in a while.”

“Hmmm,” Jamie thought for a moment. “True, usually you’d notice them by now.” They sighed loudly, shrugging. “Well, they’ll turn up eventually.”

Like with everything else, time would take care of it. The fireflies came when it was their time. Cove didn’t mind waiting a bit.

This was their life now. Lazy, sunny, filled with unexpected adventures.

It was home.

“They’ve been here every summer. It won't be any different this time.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cove is torn between his new home and old.  
> Jamie reassures him that not everything is terrible, in his own way.

It was a particularly hot summer. When hadn’t it been?

This one was particular enough though that Cove had cut his usually wavy hair to a more manageable length. It let the wind through and felt like soft grass when you ran a hand through it. It was free and wild, something that Cove took a liking to.

But there was another reason, one which Cove didn’t share all that openly. It was a quiet form of petty rebellion.

Cove had just arrived back after almost two weeks at his mother’s in Nevada. In the beginning, it had been nice. Fun, even. He usually enjoyed visiting his mother and his old home, missing it dearly. Every time he went he never wanted to leave, feeling too attached to the things left behind, the people he had known and loved.

Every time the fun ended when the day of return came. This time was different. The fun had ended earlier.

One night he had heard his mother and father arguing over the phone, unsure about what. Clearly it was important, because his mother wouldn’t bring it up, despite it being on her mind for the following days.

Cove did eventually ask himself, and while Kyra never considered her son daft by any means, some things just could not be understood by a teenager. That had angered Cove enough to want to come home earlier. Whatever she had meant, he couldn’t accept it.

The boy who had been torn from his home and forced to grow up in the middle of nowhere couldn’t accept her reasons. Cove had tried to push those feelings down for years, because nobody liked a whiny baby like Jeremy.

Every time he returned, all the things he had missed mocked him; his old friends, his old school, his old life. He even felt like a stranger in his own home, filled with memories of a broken family.

In his “new” home, his father was waiting for him. Cliff had tried to reassure his son that they’d try to work things out, but that’s what parents always said. Despite being forced to adapt Cove felt like he was still being treated like a whiny kid, only fueling the fire inside of him.

So, at one point, Cove decided to say: ‘fuck it’. Instead of letting his hair grow out like his father had done, Cove cut it short. He also refused to wear those breezy, colorful shirts that his parents loved, instead opting for a simple yellow and white tank top. He’d tried to gain more muscle to make up for those damn squiggly eyebrows that people loved to mention. He was his own person, and he wouldn’t let the actions of others determine his life.

A vain and futile goal.

* * *

He couldn’t stay home, it was too dark, too sad. He’d distract himself however he could, catching up with some of his closer school friends, going to the movies with them, even meeting Derek for an afternoon chat. Anything to not stay home.

One thing that the green haired boy did find missing was the presence of a specific neighbor on the opposite side of the street.

Pam and Lani had welcomed Cove back as sweetly as they always did, giving him some freshly bought fruit and smiles that warmed his heart. He envied (and secretly, hated) Jamie for his easy family life.

The couple told Cove that Jamie wasn’t home, instead he was working at some food stall by the beach. Had been for a few weeks now.

This made Cove raise an eyebrow. He considered himself close to Jamie; even when he was away they still called and messaged each other often enough. And yet this was the first time Cove had heard of Jamie having a job.

Deciding to investigate this anomaly Cove took to the beach, looking for his friend. It didn’t take long.

It was a small octagon-like stall with green striped walls and a red pointy roof. Jamie was half-asleep in his chair, staring blankly at the fan blowing right in his face. Cove wondered how many extension cables that had taken.

He prepared himself mentally, not wanting to lose his cool. They had some catching up to do and Cove wasn’t childish enough to unload all of his baggage so suddenly.

Cove coughed, leaning on the counter. He put on the most worry-free expression. “You sell cherry Dr Pepper?”

Jamie almost jolted in his seat, looking like a startled cat.

Cove laughed, amused by the adorable reaction. He was glad to see his friend again, though thoughts of his family still ate away at him inside. “With how sleepy you always are I’m surprised they haven’t fired you yet.”

Jamie stood up sluggishly, yawning and stretching. “Welcome back, stranger. We only sell to locals.”

Cove snorted, rolling his eyes. He tried to hide the hurt; Jamie had only been joking around. “Uh-huh. I’m sure you get a lot of business that way.”

Jamie smirked, taking something out of the fridge. “Only lime-flavored coke for you, buddy. That’ll be one dollar and thirty-nine cents, and that’s the friends’ discount.”

“I’ve never been ripped off at a food stall like this before.”

 _“Refreshment_ stall,” Jamie monotonously retorted, having probably given that response a thousand times already. “The owner swears up and down that it’s not for food. Some weird branding arrangement, beats me.”

They exchanged items, Jamie storing the cash inside some jar.

“Very, uhhh, modest business you have, Mr. Customer Service,” Cove quipped.

“It’s quaint. But comfy. The owner comes by once a every few weeks to make sure the stall hasn’t burned down.” He sighed gravely, making an overdramatic face like he had just bit into a lemon. “He’s one of those ‘wantrepreneurs’, so he’s got about as much business sense as that can of coke you’re holding.”

Cove found himself unable to hold back a chuckle, trying to not drop his drink.

Jamie smiled, probably having noticed Cove’s tenseness. He went on: “The wage is good enough, so there’s that. It was too late to apply anywhere else. Besides, it’s right here next to my home, I can come and go as I please. Could always use the money.”

“Oh yeah?” Cove found that surprising. “You’ve never been much of a spender. What’s the occasion?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, surfer-boy,” Jamie chuckled, leaning on the counter as well now. “But enough about me, how’d the trip go?”

Cove had dreaded that question and it immediately showed.

“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t-“

“No, it’s OK. You didn’t know.” Cove sighed.

He didn’t know how to answer, or how much to tell Jamie. He didn’t want to overburden his friend, especially if he was on duty. Cove had been such a spoiled brat, which was something he was trying to change. But despite that, it was a hard process.

Where was he supposed to begin? It was nothing new, Jamie should’ve been able to guess what was up.

Why did it have to be so hard? Cove just wanted everything to be normal again, to go back home and forget about this bad dream already.

“Hey, if you don’t wanna get into it, fine by me,” Jamie reassured. “But I’m always here if you need someone to talk to, business hours or not.”

Cove smiled; it was like Jamie knew exactly what he was thinking. “My parents are fighting again. I don’t know why.”

“Damn.”

Cove hummed. He knew Jamie had no idea what to say; what _should_ one say in that situation? It was frustrating how nobody could give Cove what he wanted, and what made it worse was that Cove wasn’t certain that what he wanted was possible anymore.

Everything was already lost, the years gone and the future looking as bleak as ever.

“I’m sorry, Cove. That must really suck.”

Jamie stood uncomfortably behind the counter, hands moving around looking for something to do. His smile was strained, but he still tried. “It’s hard, but I know you’ll get through it. You’re a tough guy. No girl this side of California could ever resist a hunk in a tank top.”

Cove cringed at the badly timed joke. Neither of them cared about impressing anyone, but it still irked the green-haired boy. Sometimes Jamie could have the worst timing and the dumbest comments, which he could never just keep to himself, always the smartass.

“You jealous or something, skinny-boy?” It had come out much more irritated than Cove had intended, but it was already too late.

The insult hit Jamie straight on, but he took it like a champ. When he didn’t say anything Cove started to regret his choice of words.

But then Jamie shrugged defeat. “Yeah, maybe. I mean, it’d really suck if one of them stole you away, y’know?”

It was a much more genuine answer than Cove could’ve ever expected. And it actually sounded like Jamie meant it.

“Who else would listen to my dumb jokes? Ahaha… yeaah, sorry. That was stupid on my part, forget I said anything...”

Jamie had realized the reason for Cove’s outburst, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. He wasn’t good at these sorts of things, especially when he didn’t know the first thing about divorced parents. What could one even say when they held no power over those sorts of decisions? Jamie felt like he should’ve just shut up and said nothing.

Cove had forgotten all about that, though. Instead he was thinking on Jamie’s words. “Are you afraid of me leaving?” Cove couldn’t help but ask.

Jamie sighed, scratching his head. “Well, we’ve kinda known each other since we were eight, right?” He took a moment to think about his wording before saying: “I mean, I’ve just gotten so used to it. I don’t know what I’d do if such a substantial part of my life just… changed, or went away. Which is what you must’ve been going through when you moved here.”

The greenette didn’t know how to respond for a moment. Jamie _had_ been genuine. And Cove knew very well the feeling the other boy was talking about.

He supposed it wasn’t a surprise – Jamie had fears just like everyone else. But the boy had a surprising knack for not ever letting them show. Had he been lonely while Cove was away? Had he missed him?

Someone had actually missed him. Him, Cove Holden. Someone had wanted him to return, and it wasn’t just his parents.

Cove felt lighter, the worries so much easier to carry suddenly.

He wanted to laugh at the absurdness; one good comment and he felt like he had just won the lottery.

“Oi, earth to Cove,” Jamie waved a hand in front of Cove’s face. “C’mon, I had an idea. I think I know what’ll turn that frown right-side up.”

Cove took a second to register what he had said. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

“I can make up for it tomorrow. Let’s go celebrate your homecoming, neighbor.”

* * *

They took the bus to go to the mall near the outskirts of the city. It was the biggest in the area, which also offered the most to experience. However, what Jamie had in mind was an arcade on the second floor. It was huge, there were old arcade machines, hoop and ball throwing games, air hockey, bowling, pool to rhythm games.

Cove stared in wonder at the flashing lights and the loud background. Children were running around and yelling at the top of their lungs how they had just beaten their friend’s high score.

“I found it when we came here with my family,” Jamie explained. “I got soooo bored of clothes shopping that I ended up spending some time here but didn’t have any money.” He waved around the tickets he had bought with his new earnings, grinning wide. “Time to go hog wild!”

And that they did. For the next couple of hours, Cove had completely forgotten about his parents, their silly arguments and how lost he had felt.

They tried almost anything that looked exciting. Cove lost miserably in the basketball throwing game, Jamie having figured out some angle the other boy just couldn’t reach. That was quickly paid back in full when Cove absolutely decimated Jamie in bowling and ice hockey.

For the life of him he couldn’t stop tripping on the rhythm game. His legs were too stiff and Jamie would intentionally pull the weirdest moves and faces while dancing, making sure Cove had no chance to concentrate without laughing.

They both failed miserably at pool, with almost every ball that almost got into a hole somehow rebounding off a wall. They vowed to never play that game ever again.

At some point they had lost count who had been in the lead. They were on their last few tickets now and Cove was trying to get something from the claw machine.

“You know those things are rigged, right?” Jamie laughed at the greenette’s stubbornness.

“I have to get it!” Cove exclaimed, pointing at the cute dolphin plushie at the far back that was to die for. With glitter coming out of his pores, Cove was hyperfocused on getting the damn thing.

“It’s not gonna happen,” Jamie commented as the claw had grabbed onto the dolphin’s fin. It was brought closer to the hole, but it ended up falling on top of some crabs and turtles.

“Dammit!” Cove smacked the machine in frustration. He inserted another ticketing, tongue poking out of his mouth as he tried to position the claw again.

Jamie watched, rolling his eyes. “At this point it’d be easier to just buy the damn thing.”

“I have to get it!” Cove explained, exasperated. “It’s the effort that counts!”

Jamie mumbled something about the money, but it was drowned out as Cove cried out again, the dolphin sliding out of the claw’s grasp.

“Last one.” Cove was out of tickets; it was already late and they weren’t gonna play anything else anyway. They had had their fun, but this was his last obstacle before he could go home satisfied. He knew he was setting himself up for disappointment, but it didn’t matter. Either that dolphin went home with Cove, or he’d die trying.

Cove guided the switch to the right until it was parallel to the dolphin. He pushed it forward, coming to rest right above the dolphin. Cove pressed the button, and the metallic claw descended.

Both boys held their breaths, even Jamie was quietly observing.

The claw came down, grabbed the dolphin from below.

Cove hissed a ‘yes’. Jamie hummed, nodding his head.

The claw slowly ascended, encouraged silently by Cove’s gesturing.

It was so close now, the dolphin was literally in their grasp!

Just a few centimeters more!

And then it fell through.

“NOOOOOOOOOO!”

Cove dropped to the ground in despair, head banging against the machine.

Jamie patted his friend on the back. “You tried, that’s what counts. So close too…”

Cove sighed, brows furrowed and lips sunken deep in a frown. “Ah, man… I so wanted it too! First the balloon, now this…”

It took a moment for Jamie to realize what he was referring to. Then memories of a long distant summer reminded him of a street magician and balloon animals. Cove’s had popped, though he had never mentioned it again. He looked just as devastated then as he did now.

Jamie stood silently, staring intently at the machine.

Cove pushed himself up, head hanging. Jamie squeezed his shoulder, shaking him lightly. “You might wanna take a breather. There’s a bathroom right around the corner, I’ll wait right here.”

Cove nodded. He had completely forgotten the time, and now that Jamie brought it up he did feel the need to go. Cove mumbled an excuse and slunk to the bathroom.

He was very bummed out. It was such a small thing, but Cove had rarely ever felt so strongly about an inanimate object.

Suddenly everything was coming back. His broken family, his half-empty home. It was fine during the way, when he was out, but the nights were always the worst. The silence after a fight was too eerie, too obvious.

His dad would sometimes fall asleep on the couch, a bottle of wine in his hand. Cove was thankful it wasn’t a common thing, but it was too much. How could he feel reassured when that was the last thing he’d see before falling asleep. It was not something he’d ever want to go back to.

He had needed the escape, and that was exactly what the plushie had offered. Something, anything, to keep the night going, to stall him so he wouldn’t have to go home. God knows why he chose the worst possible method, but he had and by it had only sabotaged his own mood.

He took his time, trying to calm his heartbeat.

A plushie! What a stupid thing to get upset about.

Cove shook his head, throwing cold water in his face. He was fine, he’d forget it the next morning. Right now he just wanted to go home and sleep for a long, long time.

“Whatever,” Cove said, looking at himself in the mirror. “It was a fun day. I should make sure to thank Jamie.”

In the end it had been a good time. It had kept his mind off the visit and for that he was thankful, for however long that had lasted.

With that he exited the bathroom.

“Hey, space cadet.”

Cove turned around, finding Jamie resting against the wall right outside the bathrooms.

“Made me think you fell in the toilet.”

In his hands was a bright blue dolphin plushie.

“Think fast.”

He threw it right at Cove’s face, who was too shocked to do anything but let it hit his chest and flop down pitifully.

A few seconds of awkward silence passed before Cove looked down and grabbed it.

“How…”

“I had a few tickets to spare,” Jamie shrugged it off like it was nothing.

Cove looked at him incredulously, like he had just spit fire.

“You… _got_ me this?”

“You’d already done the brunt of it. It was nothing, it just needed that last calculated push-“

He was cut off by Cove squeezing him into a bear hug. After a moment of stiffness Jamie patted his friend on the back, returning the hug.

“Thank you…” Cove whispered, clutching the plushie between them. “Thank you… you have no idea how much this means.”

“Heh, no problem. That’s what friends are for, right?” Jamie chuckled, ruffling his friend’s hair.

Cove almost cried.

The entire way home Cove held on to the dolphin like it were his lifeline, and to a scared, vulnerable teenager who was scared of returning home it absolutely was. Jamie looked pretty pleased with himself too.

On the street, they hugged again. It took effort for Cove not to blow his nose into Jamie’s shirt. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“Don’t worry about it. It looked like you really wanted it, so seeing you happy is enough of a reward.” For one last time Jamie patted him awkwardly, rubbing his back. “I’m sorry about before, I just… didn’t know what to say.”

“No, I get it, it was out of nowhere.”

“I hope you weren’t too angry.”

Cove’s laugh was dry and choked but full of amusement. “I completely forgot about it.”

“Good, good.” Jamie sat still for a few minutes, but his shuffling made it clear that he still had more to say.

“What’s up?” Cove asked quietly.

“It’s just… I hope the arcade made you feel better. I’m not great at comforting people, so I hope it made up for my earlier mistake.”

“It was perfect. Thank you.” When Cove felt comfortable enough to let go Jamie smiled at the boy, reassuring him that everything would be fine.

* * *

Cove dreaded coming back to Sunset Bird. It was a boring ride and there was nothing waiting for him here.

Until recently.

Now he had family here. He had friends. He had a home.

No matter how bad it had been, something drew him back time and time again.

Jamie could say the most shameless things sometimes. He had a smart mouth and a dumb brain, but Cove would be damned if his friend didn’t try his hardest. The awkward, inexperienced, and young Jamie that didn’t know what to do but still tried his best, that’s what Cove needed in a life dictated by two bickering adults.

He had grown up with the constant thought that any day, his life would be torn apart again. He was scared of getting used to Sunset Bird if it was all going to change in a few years anyway. But it hadn’t, and Cove had fallen complacently into attachment.

He had hoped he’d never fall into the same trap his parents had, that he’d never ruin his and someone else’s life. He never wanted to get married and end up fighting constantly.

But, sometimes, he couldn’t help but get attached. For all his faults, Cove was eternally grateful for Jamie’s friendship. He had no idea how he had gotten such an amazing friend. And he hoped he’d never do something to ruin it.

In all the coming years he’d never let the plushie go, considering it one of his most prized possessions. Despite how childish it was, it was his, made special not just because of the time and money wasted, but because his _friend_ had gotten it for him when he had needed it most.

That night when Cove came back home everything seemed brighter. His good mood even infected his father, ending up in them sharing a hug. For the first time in a while Cove truly believed that everything would be alright in the end.

Cove fell soundly asleep, dolphin plushie clutched tightly to his chest.


	3. Chapter 3

Cove waited outside school for Jamie, walking around the front entrance trying to keep himself warm. It was a Saturday afternoon in December of their 12th school year, but as per usual snow was a mere fantasy.

The doors flew open and Jamie walked out. He stopped a few steps away and stretched, hands reaching out towards the sky, legs raising to stand on the balls of his feet.

“AaaaaaaAAAAAHHH!” he yelled out to the darkening sky.

“Done already?” Cove quipped from behind him.

Jamie turned halfway, startled. He chuckled at seeing Cove, intertwining his fingers and stretching them forwards. “Done. And. Dusted. I think that’s about enough exams for one year.”

“Oh yeah, take the rest of the year off,” Cove slily agreed.

“Yeah, however long that lasts,” Jamie scoffed, shaking his whole body.

Cove led them towards his car that was parked right in front of the school.

“I am _exhausted_ ,” Jamie said.

“Speaking of celebrating…”

“Oh I like where this is going.”

“…I was thinking we could go eat some waffles. I’ll drive.”

Jamie turned again towards Cove, bemused. “How romantic.”

“You don’t like it?”

“I was thinking more like hot chocolate, cuddling in front of a warm fire, a nice big fluffy dog…”

“I thought you didn’t like animals?” Cove ignored the rest of the sentence. Jamie always said weird stuff like that, had since they were kids. At first it had thrown Cove off, a lot, but now he had grown used to it.

Jamie rolled his eyes, seemingly disappointed at something. “Not my point.”

He shuddered, rubbing his hands together and pulling his collar closer.

Cove sighed, pulling his hat lower on his head. “You really should get a scarf. Or a hat. Or something.”

“They’re all worn or broken, and I always forget. Christmas is so brief in California, why bother?”

“Well, the car’s warm,” Cove offered, so Jamie accepted the plan without further argument.

They sat in and in a few minutes, Jamie’s lights were out, snoozing quietly in the passenger seat.

He had missed school on the exam day, so he had to come and write it on the weekend. Cove prided himself in his strong immune system, but Jamie didn’t usually get sick either. So Cove had decided to check in with his friend impromptu after his four-hour exam.

They drove to the mall, where a new hole in the wall had opened. They sold smoothies and the best waffles with chocolate Cove had eaten.

Groggily Jamie followed and sat down on the comfy couch-seats. “I feel like I could fall asleep again.”

“You could fall asleep standing up on an escalator,” Cove shook his head. “I don’t know how you do it.” Cove had thought that maybe Jamie was an insomniac; the dark circles under his eyes always hinted at that possibility, but Jamie never ever spoke of it.

“Practice,” the other boy shrugged off. “By the way, you didn’t have to wait the entire four hours, did you?”

Cove laughed, quickly forgetting the last topic. “No, no, just like 10 minutes or so.”

“Shame.”

“Wow, rude. Remind me again which one of us was being distracting during lessons?”

Jamie’s lips twitched. “But you had fun.”

Cove groaned, hiding his face behind his hands. “It was embarrassing.”

“ _I_ had fun.”

Cove groaned louder. “We’re gonna talk about that another day, I am _not_ having this conversation right now.”

“Alright, fine, fine. What’re your plans for the holidays?” Jamie laughed, leaning back in his seat.

“Dad and I are going to mom’s. Haven’t been back for a while, gonna visit her side of the family.”

Jamie hummed. Christmas was in less than a week, and he hadn’t given Cove his present yet. He wondered if the even had the time anymore. Who knew when he’d be back, or when they’d get to see each other again.

“And you?” Cove asked, snapping Jamie out of his thoughts.

Jamie was caught off-guard. He was about to answer with ‘nothing’, but then remembered his moms had made plans long ago. “Liz’s coming to visit, so is Lee. Gonna go shopping probably, and then I don’t know. There’s always something going on here at the mall or at the pier…”

Their conversation continued idly, interrupted only when their orders came. Jamie had gone crazy with toppings, as per usual, which also didn’t faze Cove anymore.

They enjoyed their meal. After paying and leaving the café they decided to kill some time by walking around the store aimlessly.

“I’m glad I don’t have to drive when we go,” Cove sighed, rubbing his neck, “I’ve been running around all week, my legs and neck are getting sore from sitting behind the wheel all the time.”

“You’ll never become a cab driver like that.”

“Oh no, my ambitious goal of becoming a cabbie! Whatever shall I do?”

“No choice,” Jamie lamented, “you gotta become a doctor now.”

They chuckled together, passing by an animal shop. Jamie stopped for a second, looking in through the glass windows. Cove stood next to him.

“I thought-“

“They’re cool to look at,” Jamie explained with a shrug. “I always wanted a parrot.”

“Wouldn’t it get annoying?” Cove wondered. After a moment of thought, he nodded. “Actually, yeah, don’t get a parrot. Knowing you you’d teach it to say all kinds of things.”

“Awww, I was gonna have so much fun,” Jamie pouted. “I was gonna teach it to tease you and everything, we were gonna be the best tag-team.”

“Hard pass,” Cove waved his hand, attention turning to some fish. “I should get a new one.”

“Oh yeah, didn’t one of them die? Mike or something?”

Cove hummed.

“How’s Jamie doing?”

Cove rolled his eyes. “Jamie Junior is doing wonderfully. He wishes you’d visit him more often.”

“Well, seeing as you’re out of the house, maybe I will,” Jamie spoke with the tone of an overprotective father. “Do animals even understand the concept of holidays?”

“Holidays exist to break up periods of work. I don’t think they understand the concept of a job. For them it’s just… survival. They will die if they don’t hunt and stuff.”

“Now I’m just stuck thinking of a tiger in a button-down and tie.”

A chocking noise came from Cove, a hand flying up to cover his mouth. He shook with silent laughter as they proceeded down the hall. “It’s in my head too now, thanks.”

The drive back home was a bit livelier, with Jamie now refreshed enough to make conversation. They sang together to the radio and discussed the year’s end. Finally, when they reached the drive-way, they exited the car.

“Thanks for the meal, space cadet,” Jamie stretched, waving lazily at Cove. “Lemme know when you’re outta town so I can look over the house. And I charge daily for my cleaning services.”

Cove laughed briefly, before stopping Jamie from going inside his house. “Hey, so… dad’s out for the day. He still has a lot of work, and he needs a last minute present for mom.”

Jamie shook his head fondly. “What an airhead. I hope he finds something, else he’s dead.”

“Ahahaha, yeah. So, you wanna come in?” Cove gestured vaguely at his own home.

Jamie smirked, making a thinking face. “Choices, choices…”

Cove’s face fell, which was hard to notice in the darkness. He knew Jamie liked to joke around, but sometimes he felt out of the loop on his jokes, whether or not they were even jokes at all.

It scared him sometimes.

“Don’t give me those puppy eyes!” Jamie laughed, shaking his head. “Alright, alright. I’ll tell the moms, wait for me.”

Instantly Cove’s face lit up again. Agreement received, he unlocked his front door and went in.

* * *

They had been clicking randomly on Netflix for a while. Jamie had laughed that Cove’s family actually paid for it, which was met with a sharp stab to his ribs.

They found ‘Wrong Turn’ in the horror section and decided to try it out. It had been a good way to kill time. Cove had instantly regretted his decision as soon as the poor boy saw any scene with any sort of terror. Jamie was left cold by the film, so he spent most of the time staring at Jamie.

“Well, that was something,” he said when the movie was done.

“Definitely not fun.”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“It was bad.”

Jamie chuckled at Cove, teasing him. “You big baby, it’s just a movie.”

“Yeah, but it’s like… not even ghosts or anything! It’s a real threat, that could happen to anyone! Anywhere!”

“Good thing we don’t live in the woods, then,” Jamie sardonically replied. Which did nothing to calm Cove down, who now looked very shaken.

The boy sighed, standing up and stretching. It was 9 PM, it had been dark for hours now. There was little to do anymore that they’d have energy for, and they really would only have time for one movie, if they could figure out what to even watch.

But Cove was spooked, and having noticed it Jamie felt an obligation to un-spook him. A quick glance around and a long, silent stare outside gave him the idea he was looking for.

He took two chairs and placed them right in front of the window in the living room. It was large, giving a good view of the other side of the neighborhood and town. Jamie took Cove’s shaky hand and guided him to one of the seats, now basking in the calming moonlight.

Cove was silent for a bit, glad to for the distraction, but unsettled by Jamie’s silence, too afraid to break it himself. He didn’t have to though; inexplicably, Jamie had a knack for solving these types of situations.

He pointed somewhere in the sky and Cove tried to follow to the best of his abilities.

“Your birthday is in November, right? Where’s Scorpio…”

“You believe in astrology?” Cove remarked, the surprise distracting him from his earlier fear.

“Not the kind they write about in newspapers. But I like the starts. Light pollution makes them hard to see most of the time. They’re pretty.” Jamie looked at Cove meaningfully at the last part, but the green-haired boy was lost on what that was supposed to mean.

“You know the story behind it?”

Cove shook his head.

Jamie smiled, looking back out the window. “So, you’ve probably heard of Orion – another constellation. Strong warrior, big show-off. Once he even promised he’d kill every species or something, put down every animal on the planet.”

“But he wasn’t just bark?” Cove guessed.

“Right. The Gods took his threat seriously, especially the Goddess of the Earth. She was infuriated with him, but she couldn’t kill him outright. Lots of stories about killing other God’s offspring and whatnot, never ends well.”

“Go figure. So she thought of some… other way to take care of him?”

“Oh yes she did. That’s where Scorpio comes in, a legendary and giant predator that attacked Orion. Don’t think he died, but it was enough to save the animals from certain death. Gaia then rewarded Scorpio’s bravery by placing it in the constellation, always chasing Orion.”

“Orion sounds like a jerk.”

“Ahahaha, that he does. But he did manage to _woo_ the otherwise aromantic Artemis, so there’s that.”

“…I didn’t know you knew so much.”

Jamie laughed bashfully, shrugging. “I sometimes pay attention in classes. …And browse the internet when bored.”

“I think the latter has more to do with it.”

They shared a laugh. Jamie smiled at Cove, beaming. “Look who’s not afraid anymore.”

Cove blushed and turned away to look at the stars. Indeed, he felt much better suddenly. Jamie’s story had distracted him enough to forget about the movie, so at least he’d be able to sleep tonight.

Speaking of…

“It’s late,” Cove mentioned.

Jamie hummed in that noncommittal way that said he acknowledged the fact, without making any preparations to leave.

“Wasn’t your dad supposed to be back a long time ago?” Jamie asked, suddenly remembering.

Cove sighed. “He gets carried off sometimes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he forgot something at work or is just… wandering around. He should be back soon.”

“Guess I should split.” Again, he made no move to leave.

“You could always stay over.”

Jamie hummed again, noncommittally. Eventually, they made it to Cove’s room. They had argued countless times before about who got the floor and who got the bed that they didn’t even bother bringing it up anymore.

Cove had – in his embarrassment – gotten another blanket and pillow for Jamie to use when staying over. Together they lied in the resident’s bed. Jamie didn’t need to see much to know Cove’s face was glowing red, a stark contrast to the blue light that lit up the aquarium.

“It’s funny, y’know,” Jamie whispered. “Every time we are like this, I get déjà vu of the camping trip.”

“Oh don’t even start. I’m so glad I didn’t fall out, I never would’ve gotten over it. Mom hasn’t forgotten. Thankfully, dad doesn’t know, otherwise I don’t think he’d let you stay over as often as you do.”

“Lucky me,” Jamie chuckled underneath his breath. The conversation died down quickly, but the silence was comforting in itself.

Cove turned sideways suddenly and Jamie joined them. Quietly they stared at each other in the blue dark, the bubbling of water mixing with their desynchronized breathing.

“It smells nice.” Jamie was usually the one to start the conversation at these times, since Cove was always a blushing, anxious mess. Cove was always thankful for it.

“Ah, uh… thanks? I didn’t really know that there was a smell. Usually that’s a bad thing.”

“Usually, but nah. You have like, a good smell. Your shampoo must be very nice. And some people just have a nice natural smell.”

“You’re like a dog,” Cove laughed.

Jamie smiled, growling convincingly like a dog.

Now thoroughly tired, Cove could feel his eyes falling closed. Jamie seemed to doze off as well. They bid each other good night and fell asleep peacefully. Cove had no nightmares.

* * *

Years ago Cove had made Jamie a spare key for their house. Kyra and Cliff sort of guessed the identity of the fairy who kept their living clean of dust but ended up eating their snacks in return. They didn’t mind.

Cove’s house was dark and empty, the blinds pulled down and cold from the lack of heating. Jamie stepped in and shuddered.

“I’m back,” he said to the spirit of the house. He threw his keys on the table in the hall and kicked off his boots. The snow would melt by morning.

Without turning on the lights he stood in the living room. A few seconds turned into minutes. He stood and stared at nothing, until he got tired and leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down.

This was it, then. Alone once again, this time physically as well.

It had been the 24th. Cove was long gone, his parents, cousin and sister were all long asleep. He checked his phone and indeed, it was 2 AM. He could not sleep.

He slowly waddled over along the familiar path, hands guiding him through the dark. Thank God it was only the one floor.

Finding Cove’s room he stepped in, eyes adjusting to the light blue light that shone in the corner of the room.

“Hey, fish,” he said again, to nobody in particular.

He took a step closer and looked for one fish in particular. “Hey, Jamie.” Sometimes it felt more natural to call the fish that instead. Like, maybe _he_ was the fish, and the fish was Jamie.

He couldn’t see them move anyway, so it didn’t matter. He just felt like he needed to… announce his presence. Give proof that he was there, physically, mentally, aware and alive.

He plopped down onto Cove’s bed and smelled the sheets. It was definitely the smell of Cove.

Not even close to some ocean breeze or anything cliché like that. It was a rather ordinary smell, nice and sweet. But it was Cove’s, and Jamie had become accustomed to it over the years.

So much for Christmas. It had been fun, though he had lost at Family Scrabble. Lee was surprisingly good, but nobody had anything on Mother, she was in another league. At some point and after a few good glasses downed the words stopped making sense, rules forgotten.

It had been a laugh.

But still, it all felt cold. Something gnawed away at Jamie and despite how loud it had been, how warm it had been, he’d felt like he was drowning in the Arctic.

Liz had been too drunk, his mothers too. Lee had noticed, but something must’ve stopped her from asking outright. Jamie was thankful for her, she was the best cousin he could’ve asked for. But he knew she was going to make a deal out of it when they all woke up.

And while Jamie had escaped the cold water, the figurative campfire he found in the Holden household could only warm his fingertips. He was still shuddering, nerves going wild and legs shaking.

He had felt this since he was a kid, but then he hadn’t been as aware. Somewhere during his teenage years, he’d started hating Christmas. He loved his family, but something about the busyness, the festivities, the gifts, the ‘holiday cheer’…

Something was supposed to happen. Magical snow, magical gifts, magical Christmas.

But if anything it was the same as the other 364 days of the year. And Jamie hated all of it.

The pretense was insulting and made him want to vomit. He wasn’t even sure what he disliked about it, but the thought alone made him sick. Was he ill? He didn’t know. It was all so inexplicable and… fake.

He’d seen the movies, the advertisements, the stories and whatnot. It was hard not to ever notice, in 18 years’ time.

Someone was always alone at Christmas. And even though Jamie was seldom alone, he always felt so.

It didn’t make sense and Jamie wanted to bash his head against a wall. But even then it would just add to the headache. Though that was more likely from the drinking.

Christmas, Halloween, Easter, it was the same droll with a different tune and decorations. Even Summer had lost the magical charm after a while.

Jamie wasn’t sure when this change happened, but he knew it had been when he finally “grew up”. Cove would laugh at something like that and say that Jamie had never changed.

Jamie hated it and he hated himself for it.

He hit something with his leg. Might’ve been his other leg or the wall or something, but when he found it again with his leg it fell out of the bed.

Standing up and feeling around in the dark he found something heavy and held it. It felt like a bag.

Walking over to the dim blue light he confirmed his theory. It was a gift bag. He found a note stuck to it.

Squinting in the dark to read the messily written text – should’ve written it before sticking the note – Jamie managed to make out some squiggly text.

_Don’t let me hear you complain about the cold again…_

_Merry Christmas, Jamie! I’ll see you on New Year’s!_

_\-- Your Space Cadet_

It registered, his brain filed it. But it felt more like he was watching a movie than participating in it.

Feeling some soft and fluffy fabric he pulled out a long scarf. It was dark, with some lighter patches.

Looking closer, illuminated by the blue hue, he noticed the dark scarf was decorated with planets, stars and constellations.

Jamie laughed for 5 minutes straight.

Then for the first time in a while, he shed a tear.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Any and all feedback is always appreciated!


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